The Labor Department got some serious grief from its own inspector general this week for giving Wal-Mart a heads-up before coming to investigate. <a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/reporters/glaser.html">Cheryl Glaser</a> fills us in.

Today the President's tax reform panel formally issued its recommendations. Their goal was to make the tax code simpler and more fair. <a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/reporters/tong.html">Scott Tong</a> looks to see if it will be.

At the White House this morning the President rolled out his plan to protect the country from a bird flu pandemic. <a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/reporters/palmer.html">Helen Palmer</a> reports from the Marketplace Health Desk at WGBH.

Congress is in the midst of its budget reconciliation. Being debated today: cutting $39 billion from Medicaid and student loans programs, and opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling. <a href="http://marketplace.publicradio.org/reporters/scott.html">Amy Scott</a> reports.

Samuel Alito began this Halloween with a big treat: the president nominated him to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Court watchers are reading up on what he's written. Bob Moon has more.

The president's commission on tax reform is expected to issue its official recommendations tomorrow. One high-profile suggestion will likely be to ditch the Alternative Minimum Tax. Scott Tong explains.